Classic Covers
An Honors Thesis (HONR 499)
by
Leah Honeycutt
Thesis Advisor
Sam MinaI;(
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
April 2015
Expected Graduation Date
May 2015
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Abstract
;ro ;::7
· HGC
"Don't judge a book by its cover" is a statement we are constantly told; yet we are
all guilty of. Avid readers are familiar with the known book covers of the classic
novels such as To Kill A Mockingbird, The Scarlet Letter, and Moby Dick. Classic
Covers is a series of redesigned book covers for ten classic novels. These
covers are minimalistic, hand created, and three-dimensional. They explore
graphic design as it was originally created with hand cut paper and vector
images. I created these book covers based on what I believed to be significant
events or parts of each novel. They create what I believe to be the feel and
theme for each novel .
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Sam Minor, my advisor for this thesis, for not only being my
advisor and professor, but also for teaching me so much about design. He has
been a teacher, friend, and inspiration for four years. He has taught me the
difference between good and bad design and to be proud of whom I am as a
person and designer, because there is no one else like me.
I would also like to thank my mom, Kris Honeycutt, for pushing me everyday to
get my degree. She has not only financed my schooling but also been my rock
through everything .
I would like to thank Cody McDowell for keeping me company on these long
nights in studio, giving me motivation when I had none, and believing in me when
I didn't believe in myself. He has truly been a saving grace to me throughout this
entire process.
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Author's Statement
Classic Covers is a thesis in which I designed book covers for ten classic novels.
The novels I chose to create covers for were: To Kill A Mockingbird; The Iliad and
The Odyssey; The Great Gatsby; Romeo and Juliet; Moby Dick; The Scarlet
Letter; Animal Farm; Lord of the Flies; The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; and Pride
and Prejudice. Each of these novel covers is created in a minimalistic, modern
style in an attempt to put a modern feel on old stories. To begin my thesis, I
researched previous book covers for the novels. Gaining an understanding of
what imagery other artists felt was important as well as studying any repetition in
images or themes in the current book covers was an important step in
accumulating a creative basis with which I could draw inspiration for my own
designs. After researching the traditional covers, I decided which imagery I
wanted for each of my recreations. I purchased each specHic novel so that the
final products would be as authentic as possible. I wanted to create pieces that
appeared able to be viewed as they would be in a library or store. I also wanted
the covers to be on the proper books so that once they were printed they could
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be put on display and viewers could look at and handle them. I began to sketch
ideas of what I wanted the covers to look like. I kept a sketchbook of my ideas
and even drew layouts for some of the novels; this was my planning stage of the
novel covers.
After I sketched my ideas and planned out what I thought I wanted each
cover to look like, I was able to transform my ideas from sketches to digital
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designs. I scanned my drawings, drew new images with computer tools, and
began to transform the imagery I desired into vector images. I measured each
cover so that the layouts would fit each individual book properly. I was able to
create the text layout as well as most imagery on the computer.
There were several images that posed a challenge when attempting to
translate them to a digital format and required additional hand-done work beyond
the computer. One of these nontraditional images was the letter "A" for The
Scarlet Letter, which, once printed, I incorporated into the design by physically
sewing it onto the cover.
After laying out all of the text and formats on the computer, I was able to
print the covers on a laser ink jet printer. The printouts included a basic layout
design of each completed cover, respectively, as well as individual images that I
wanted to use for the cutouts . I hand cut each image and layered the cutouts to
create the three dimensional look I desired. The hand-created cutouts gave the
book covers a personal touch as well as created contrast from the mechanical
look of the flat printed vector images.
After all ten covers were completed, I placed them on display in the Ball
State Arts and Journalism Building display case. They were placed in the display
case in the Visual Communication and Journalism department for viewing.
Onlookers were able to view them through the case as well as ask interact with
them. They got many comments and viewers seemed to enjoy looking at and
comparing them to what they knew of the traditional covers.
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To Kill A Mockingbird
Most book covers for this novel include images of birds, trees, or children.
They playoff of the title of the book rather than focusing on the events. My cover
depicts a tree trunk up close with a large knothole in the middle of it. I chose this
design because I wanted to use an actual scene in the novel as well as playoff of
the older covers. I wanted people to be able to recognize the book, but for the
cover to have a modern twist. One of the major incidents in the novel is that Jem
and Scout, two of the novel's main characters, find small gifts inside the knothole
of a tree on their street. These gifts are from a mysterious man named Boo
Radley who the children are suspicious of. I believe that Boo Radley is a huge
character of the novel. He plays a large role in the children's growth as
individuals and also represents the goodness that society seems to overlook.
This event that takes place in the novel has a huge impact on the actual story; as
a result, I wanted to use this simple but profound image to initiate a wider
understanding of the novel and its social commentary. I also added a vector
image of a dead mocking bird to the back cover to playoff of title a former cover
artists have done. By placing it on the back I hoped to subtly hint at and reflect
the drama and darkness that runs through the narrative of the novel itself.
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The Iliad and the Odyssey
The Iliad and the Odyssey are a two-part Greek Tragedy in which the first
novel is written to describe the journey the hero takes into war and the second is
his return home. I chose not to reference a specific scene because I did not want
to favor one story over the other, and so chose to create a design that focused on
the larger story of the hero's journey. I wanted the stories to be read as a whole,
rather than individually and so depicted a ship going across the ocean to
represent that each novel is more about the journey the hero is on rather than the
actual events he encounters. The ocean scene I created is meant to be
ambiguous: One can view it as a treacherous storm with strong and prominent
waves; or, one may view the serene colors scheme, the clear sky, and the visible
ship and interpret it as a more relaxing journey. The ambiguity of this design was
an intentional decision as I wanted viewer to be able to make his or her own
interpretations depending on which story he or she was reading. I also wanted
honor the Greek culture in which these stories were originally written and so
incorporated a Greek shield icon to relate the story back to its roots as a Greek
tragedy.
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The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is a novel which is packed full of events and vivid
descriptions. Because so much takes place throughout the course of the novel
and the author uses so much metaphorical literary imagery, traditional covers for
this particular novel are often packed with loud, brightly colored, artistic imagery.
Though there were many scenes to choose from, I wanted to depict the scene
that I felt most embodied the story as a whole. One image in the novel that has
always struck me is that of the green light that Gatsby looks to from the end of his
pier. The light comes from his dream girl Daisy's dock across the bay. This light
represents everything Gatsby hopes and dreams for, including one day getting to
be with Daisy. I think this embodies the underlying tone of the entire novel. The
novel itself describes how Gatsby has this luxurious life and is always throwing
lavish parties. He is rich and has many women who would love to be with him,
and although everyone thinks he lives this amazing and wonderful life, Gatsby is
never truly happy. I think this scene is when Gatsby shows his true self. In it he is
vulnerable while looking at the light and it is his secret to what the light really
means. Like his real life, the light may look just like a beautiful green beam to
everyone else, but to him it is much more.
I wanted the light on the cover to be an actual light so that viewers could
truly imagine the view as Gatsby does. I also wanted the other sides of the book
to have imagery that depicted the lavish life style that Gatsby lives, hoping my
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cover design would show the juxtaposition between Gatsby's outward
appearance and his internal struggle as the novel depicts.
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Romeo and Juliet
Book covers for this play vary a lot. The cover imagery depict a wide range
of elements from the play including roses, the characters, coffins, poison, William
Shakespeare himself, or just typography. When creating this cover I had to
consider what I wanted the feel of the cover to be as well as what objects or
scenes I felt embodied the play. I decided that the tragedy was more about the
love and death of the characters than the events that occur throughout the play. I
decided that I wanted to depict the deaths that take place in the novel in a subtle
way so that I would not give up the ending of the story for the viewers who hadn't
read it yet, but wanted the contrast of love and death to be prominent. As a
result, I depicted a rose on top a dagger; two contrasting images, which
ultimately formed one mysterious uniform image. I subtly hinted at death by
placing a small bottle of poison on the back cover.
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Moby Dick
Book covers for this novel all depict a whale in some way, most of the
novels showing only a portion of the whale or show the whale and a ship; I
wanted to be sure that both the ship and the whale were depicted on the cover.
The most important part of the novel is that the fisherman becomes obsessed
with catching this mysterious whale, and how the whale is much more than just
an everyday whale. I wanted the viewer to think about how the whale and the
fisherman are connected; as a result, I depicted the ship as a part of the whale by
using the tale as the body of the ship. I also wanted the whale to be the most
prominent image, as the novel is about the whale and how magnificent it is to the
fisherman. I placed the whale in the waves to show that the novel takes place on
the sea. I wanted the two pieces to interact, just as they do in the novel, so I
made the whale/ship intertwine between waves.
10 The Scarlet Letter
Most traditional covers for this novel include a large red letter "A," because
that is not only the title but the object the entire book is about. However, I wanted
the "A" to be more than just a cutout. I felt that the "An needed to actually be
embroidered like the one in the novel for it to truly have an impact. I hand stitched
the entire letter just as it is described in the novel. I felt that in order to
understand how wearing the letter "A" made Pyrenne, the main character, feel, I
had to make the book "wear" the scarlet letter as well. It not only makes the "An
more impactful, but also lets the reader feel and touch the patch as if they were
able to feel the one on Pyrenne's chest.
11 Animal Farm
The book covers for this novel almost always depict the pig in some way,
as the pig is the main character of the story and the pigs are the group of animals
that eventually overtake the farm and join the humans. However, I wanted to add
an element to my design that referred to the plot twist and would only become
apparent to the viewer after having read the story. As a result, I placed a pig hoof
on one inside flap and a human boot on the opposite flap. The outside is very
neutral to the theme as I want the reader to know that before the start of the
reformation of the farm it was just a normal farm with farm animals grazing and
everything in order. It isn't until the reader actually opens the book that they get
the glimpse of the true story.
12 Lord of the Flies
Two objects that play major roles in the novel Lord of the Flies are the
image of the pig head on a stick and the image of the conch shell. Both of these
objects represent how the boys create order and a societal system without adults
to form an institutional construct. The conch is used during their meetings to
allow someone to speak their opinion while the boar's head shows how the boys
are able to fend for themselves and overcome their fears. Even though the
objects show how the boys are working hard to survive, they also show how
na·ive the boys still are. After being on the island for a while, the boys begin to fall
apart, begin to think the boar head can talk, and hallucinate that there are beasts
looming in the dark. Because this novel is ultimately still about children, I wanted
the images to have a childlike quality, even though they represent far deeper
meanings.
13 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The scene that has always stuck out to me most in Tom Sawyer is the
fence-painting scene in which Tom sneakily tricks his friends to paint his aunt's
fence for him. One reason that this scene is so important is because it is not only
comical, which is how Mark Twain is known to write, but it also shows the true
personality of Tom Sawyer himself. Tom Sawyer is a lazy young boy who is
constantly getting into trouble. He is witty and smart, yet doesn't use his
intelligence for the right reasons. I wanted to playoff of the child-like qualities of
the book, which is why I added the paint can and quote on the back. I also used
the bright, playful colors to get the simplistic life style in which Tom Sawyer lived.
14 Pride and Prejudice
One thing that Pride and Prejudice represents is class and eloquence.
This is not only because of the time period the story is set in, but also, because of
the style in which it is written. I wanted this sophisticated style to be presented in
the book cover as well. Most traditional covers for this novel include painted
portraits of the characters themselves, but with a minimalistic style I was not able
to do actual portraits. As a result, I had to think outside of the box. During this
time period it was common for people to have silhouette portraits done. In honor
of the time period and its artistic traditions, I felt that it would be a wonderful
solution to do my own silhouette portrait for the two main characters, Mr. Darcy
and Elizabeth, rather than the actual portraits.
The novel has many turning points throughout the story. I added the
opposite view of the silhouettes on the back of the cover as juxtaposition
between the feelings that bring them together (apparent on the front), and the
societal constructs that keep them apart. I wanted to play on the idea that Mr.
Darcy and Elizabeth did not always see eye to eye and in fact actually disliked
each other through most of the novel.
15 After doing Classic Covers, I have discovered a lot about myself as a
designer. Not only did I broaden my design work capabilities to a new style, but I
was also able to learn how to work with subtlety and limited design. These covers
gave me the freedom to choose what to depict, but the constraints presented
along with each novel and their respective narratives were strict enough to make
me work critically in order to create a uniform piece for each book. I was able to
work on a specified scale and specific requirements. To me, design has become
more about the art and personal touch the designer makes to a piece rather than
the design itself. I found myself enjoying these pieces more because of the time
and heart I put into them and less for the style or process. Working on this thesis
has made me find who I am as more than just a designer, but as an artist. I wi"
use the skills I have learned from this process to create future pieces . These
pieces gave me confidence in my hand skills as we" as renewed love for design.
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